Little Things
by eternalsailorsolarwind
Summary: Drabbles and short fics that show how much the little things in life matter to shinigami in love. Couples are Tatsumi x Watari and Tsuzuki x Hisoka. Updates will be sporadic and as the spirit moves me. Total fluff.
1. Tension

**Little Things**

Tension

By: eternalsailorsolarwind

Disclaimer: I don't own the characters from _Yami no Matsuei_. That honor goes to Matsushita Yoko. If I did, TsuOka and TaTari would be canon instead of fanon. I just write my fanfics that way.

A/N: Just a bunch of short fics and drabbles on the every day little things that the guys do that make their other half love them. Couples are Tsuzuki x Hisoka and Tatsumi x Watari. Updates will be sporadic and as the spirit moves me.

Little Things

Tension

It was late, and Tatsumi Seiichiro walked into the break room. The JuOuCho secretary could feel the tension singing through every line in his body as he walked over to the coffee pot. Given that he was the only person in the building, he was unsurprised to find it empty. With a sigh, he reached for the can with the grounds. He knew it was going to be a long night.

Tsuzuki and Kurosaki were on a case that already seemed to hint at Muraki's involvement; Terazuma had demolished the first floor of the entrance to the court when the _female _soul that he and Kannuki were bringing in brushed against his hand, changing him into his shikigami, Kuroshungei; and the quarterly budget was due at the end of the week. It was no wonder he was tense.

Grabbing the coffee can, he opened it, and scooped out enough to make a pot of coffee.

"Ah ah, Tatsumi. It's too late for coffee."

Tatsumi stiffed in surprise at hearing a voice come out of nowhere. Turning his head, he saw the very familiar sight of Watari Yutaka crossing the break room towards him. The resident mad scientist of EnmaCho had his usual sunny smile on his face. Unable to help himself, Tatsumi smiled at his co-worker, friend, and lover.

"Watari, I thought you'd gone home."

Blonde eyebrows lifted over amber eyes, "Alone? Where's the fun in that, Seiichiro?"

"Watari…."

"Relax, Seii, we're the only ones in the office. To answer your question, I was working on an experiment," replied Watari, looking a little sheepish. "I lost track of time."

"Would you like some coffee then?" asked Tatsumi.

His lover shook his head. "Like I said, it's too late for that. The caffeine will keep me up the rest of the night. Let me make us some tea instead."

Tatsumi opened his mouth to say something, but stopped at the look from Watari. "Tea sounds good…Yutaka."

The smile he received for calling his lover by his given name in the office was nearly blinding in its intensity. Sitting down as Watari started the water for the tea, Tatsumi removed his glasses, rubbing the bridge of his nose. A headache was forming behind his eyes.

"You work too hard," murmured Watari from behind him as a pair hands descended onto his shoulders. Instinctively, Tatsumi tensed as his lover's warm voice purred into his ear, "Relax, Seii. Let me take care of some of that tension."

Hands that knew his body almost as well he did began to knead his shoulders. With a soft groan, Tatsumi relaxed under those skillful fingers. As Watari continued; also rubbing the back of his neck, he felt the tension begin to bleed away.

By the time the kettle whistled that it had completed its appointed task, Tatsumi was leaning back against Watari, feeling like his shoulders and neck and turned to molten rubber. Bracing him carefully, Watari walked over to take the kettle from the burner. Tatsumi was surprised how hard it was to remain sitting up.

Pouring the water over the leaves in both cups, Watari spoke up, "You need some rest, Seiichiro."

"I'm not done working," protested Tatsumi. "Besides, you're still here as well, Yutaka."

His lover frowned at him. "You won't be any good tomorrow if you don't get some sleep. I'll make you a deal."

Tatsumi quirked an eyebrow to show he was listening.

"I have about another hour's work to do, and then I will be finished. You work that long, but you go home when I do." Watari was uncharacteristically firm. "I won't let you work yourself into a stupor. I don't care if the budget is due this week or not."

"Deal." Unable to help himself, Tatsumi smiled warmly at him. It felt good to be taken care of once in awhile. It was something that he was unused to, usually being the one to hold the department together.

"I'll come to your office in an hour then," agreed Watari, leaning over to drop an affectionate kiss on the top of the secretary's head before breezing out the door, cup of tea in hand.

Watching him go, Tatsumi stood up himself, taking his tea with him as he returned to his office to get as much done in an hour as he could. He was hoping the hour went quickly – there really were more important thing than the budget.


	2. Smile I

**Little Things**

Smile

By: eternalsailorsolarwind

Disclaimer: _Yami no Matsuei_ belongs to Matsushita Yoko. I only own the manga and DVD box set.

A/N: More Fluff. Hisoka x Tsuzuki this time.

Little Things

Smile

Hisoka watched his partner actually do his work for a change. It was a rare thing for the elder shinigami to actually buckle down and attack his paperwork, which was why Hisoka couldn't help but stare. In their entire partnership, he could count on one hand the number of times that Tsuzuki took the bull by the horns and _willingly_ tried to whittle down the stack of paperwork on his desk.

Hisoka wondered if he should promise an apple pie for dessert more often if it would get this much effort out of his partner and lover. After a moment of seriously considering it, he decided against the idea. After awhile, even Tsuzuki would get sick of apple pie.

A flash of violet caught Hisoka's eye and he focused on it. Tsuzuki had paused, pen in hand, to look at his partner. Flushing slightly, Hisoka glanced away, before looking back. And there it was: the simple smile that always took his breath away.

Tsuzuki always smiled, but the vast majority of them were false. Early on in their partnership, by using his empathy, Hisoka had been able to determine which smile was true and which was false. But over time, he had needed to use his empathy less and less to see Tsuzuki's true smile.

Because Tsuzuki only gave true and real smiles to him.

It was the little things that Hisoka noticed now when Tsuzuki smiled at him. How they reached all the way to those exotic eyes that could always make Hisoka feel like he was drowning in them. How the corners of Tsuzuki's mouth turned down, and little laugh lines appeared next to his eyes. The hands that reached out to gently touch him; brushing the hair out of his eyes, or to caress him.

But best of all was what he _did_ feel from his partner: a pure pleasure to see Hisoka; love, respect, and caring.

To see that smile, Hisoka was more than willing to buy Tsuzuki an apple pie. To see that smile, he'd move Chijou and Meifu itself if Tsuzuki asked him to. Because it was that smile that saved him; brought him out of his past and let him learn how to live for real.


	3. CleanUp

**Little Things**

Clean-Up

By: eternalsailorsolarwind

Disclaimer: Nope, still not mine. I can only dream, I'm afraid.

A/N: Just another little one that popped into my head. More fluff. Watari x Tatsumi this time.

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Little Things

Clean-Up

Coughing, Watari Yutaka sat up with a groan. He looked around at the now-disordered lab, seeing the soot streaks and splashes of color along the walls. The tables, cupboards, and other furniture and fixtures were battered, and one chair was even burning. Everything was silent, Watari realized. Eerily silent. He tried to say something; a curse at how the experiment turned out.

He couldn't hear his own voice.

The knowledge that his hearing was gone, most likely from the loud explosion that had created this wasteland in his lab, brought Watari up short.

Damn it, he thought. This wasn't fair – it wasn't even his sex change potion that he'd been working on. That was the experiment that usually produced such…dramatic results. No, this was actually something that the Ministry was paying him to work on.

A sudden movement out of the corner of his eye, made him turn to see what it was.

Tatsumi Seiichiro, his friend, some-time partner, and lover, had burst through the door, skidding to a sudden stop. Tatsumi carefully picked his way through the carnage that was the lab, his shadows momentarily enveloping the burning chair. When they receded, only the chair remained; not even a wisp of smoke to say that the fire had been doused.

Worried eyes behind frameless glasses looked him over before hands that Watari knew were both strong and gentle gingerly reached out to seek for wounds. Even though he ached, Watari leaned into the touch, feeling the caring that was behind the simple gesture.

A little dazed, Watari noticed that Tatsumi was getting more and more worried. Belatedly, he realized that his lover was speaking to him. But because he wasn't answering, Tatsumi was starting to fear the worst. Squeezing he other man's arm, he shook his head, pantomiming that he couldn't hear.

When Tatsumi tried again, this time louder, Watari could only shrug helplessly. He saw that his lover's mouth was moving, but there was no audio. Tatsumi started to shout.

Which was the exact moment that Watari's shinigami healing finished its job: his hearing returned with a pop.

"…all right, Yutaka?" bellowed Tatsumi.

With a wince, Watari nodded. "I'm fine, Seiichiro. My hearing kicked back in."

Tatsumi didn't seem convinced, hands still gently probing for injuries. "Are you sure, Yutaka? That was a…large explosion."

"Just the usual bumps and bruises, now that I can actually hear again. They'll heal up in no time," replied Watari. "I just need to clean up this mess."

With a nod, and a gesture to brush some soot from Watari's cheek, Tatsumi smiled and stood up. Looking around, he sighed. "I'll help you clean up, Watari."

Taking the proffered hand, Watari allowed Tatsumi to help him up. "Sank yuu, Tatsumi!"

Grabbing a broom that had somehow been sheltered from the blast, Tatsumi turned his head to look sternly back at Watari. "Don't think that my helping you clean up will get all your equipment replaced, Watari. You still have to fill out the proper forms and submit them to me – in triplicate – before I will agree to let you have any more funding for the lab. You know how far in the red we are. This won't help."

Watari pouted at Tatsumi, and the secretary's face soften into a fond smile. "I'm just glad that you are all right, Yutaka."

The secretary returned to his sweeping, and Watari stopped to watch his lover sweep debris, smiling foolishly. With that one small smile, Tatsumi had erased all his aches and pains, making him feel whole and strong again. Watari briefly wondered, as he started to pick up larger debris from the floor, if it was possible to study the effects of love on the human body…..


	4. Smile II

**Little Things**

Smile II

By: eternalsailorsolarwind

Disclaimer: No, sorry. Still owned by Matsushita Yoko. I just play with her characters.

A/N: Tsuzuki x Hisoka. The other side of the smile coin. Fluff, with a little bit of sap thrown in for good measure.

_Italics thoughts_

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"Baka."

Sighing inwardly, Tsuzuki gave his partner puppy eyes, "But Hisoka…"

"No! You've already spent almost all of today's meal allowance. There's barely enough left for dinner. So no, you can not have any dessert," retorted Hisoka, frowning up at him. Those green eyes that reminded Tsuzuki of emeralds were hard and unyielding.

Getting a dessert tonight wasn't going to be easy, realized Tsuzuki. He gave his partner a measured look, judging his chances of success. _None_, he realized, defeated.

Seeing that Tsuzuki was giving in on the dessert, Hisoka relaxed. "If you don't have any dessert tonight, there will be enough left over to have one tomorrow. If it's small, and you only have one," cautioned Hisoka, seeing the joyous look in his partner and lover's eyes. Unable to help himself at seeing the look on Tsuzuki's face, he shook his head, a slight smile gracing his lips.

Tsuzuki stared at his partner. _A smile, a real smile. And out in public, no less._ Hisoka rarely smiled. Tsuzuki could count the times that the younger man smiled per week on one hand. More often at home than at the office; he never smiled in public. It wasn't healthy for Hisoka to keep his emotions – any emotion – bottled up all the time. Even _Tatsumi_ thought so. And that was saying something, coming from him.

So when his lover actually did smile, Tsuzuki treasured the moment. It felt like he was trusted by Hisoka; being shown a side of the young shinigami that few ever saw.

_A side only for me_, Tsuzuki thought, sealing the memory of the moment away in his heart.

"Sank yuu, Hisoka," he said quietly, his voice warm.

Hisoka looked at him strangely for a moment, before catching the train of the elder shinigami's emotions. Blushing, he glanced away, the smile slipping from his face.

Tsuzuki mourned its loss, but reached out and gently touched his lover's cheek. Hisoka looked back at him, still blushing, eyes wide as he unconsciously pressed his face into the soft touch.

"Seeing you smile is enough of a treat for me tonight, 'Soka-chan," Tsuzuki said, his voice still low and warm.

"Tsuzuki……"

The hand left Hisoka's face, moving to brush wheat-blond hair out of his partner's eyes. Smiling, because the younger man meant so much to him, he continued, "Best treat I could have. Better than chocolate, even."

He chuckled at the look on Hisoka's face. It never ceased to shock his lover when Tsuzuki compared him to his favorite sweets. _His smile is better than any dessert, no matter how sweet. _


	5. Brushing

**Little Things**

Brushing

By: eternalsailorsolarwind

Disclaimer: Characters are owned by Matsushita Yoko, who is supposed to be returning to work on _Yami no Matsuei_ this year. I, for one, am praying for it.

A/N: More fluff! Maybe a little sap thrown in for good measure. Watari x Tatsumi.

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Watari stepped out of the bathroom, humming under his breath. He'd just had a shower and washed his blonde mane of hair. Toweling the excess moisture out of it, a pair of jeans his only clothing, he walked out towards the kitchen to put on water to make a cup of tea, carrying a brush to comb though his hair.

"Seiichiro won't be home for hours yet," he muttered to himself, glancing at the clock. Running his fingers through his still-wet hair, he stopped and stared as looked into the living room.

His lover was home, sitting in his favorite chair, reading the newspaper. Home early. On a work night.

"Seii..? Isn't it a little early for you to be home during the week?" he asked.

Lowering the paper, Seiichiro looked at him. "Aren't you the one who keeps telling me I work too many hours, Yutaka? I can always go back, if you want me to, there's always more to do…."

"No! I'm just surprised, that's all," replied Yutaka hurriedly. He had no doubt his workaholic lover would do just that, if given the opportunity.

Seiichiro chuckled softly, his blue eyes amused behind his glasses. Folding up the paper and laying it aside, the shadow shifter gestured his lover over. "You washed your hair? Let me brush it for you, Yutaka."

He didn't need to be asked twice. It was a pain to wash and brush out his long mane of hair, and for Seiichiro to offer to brush it out for him was special indeed. His lover was always gentle, and had never pulled his hair yet. Yutaka hurried over to sit in front of Seii's chair, noticing that the other man had changed out of his work slacks and put on a pair of jeans much like his own, leaving the dress shirt untucked. The stiffly knotted tie that was the hallmark of Seiichiro's work persona was also gone, and the top button of the shirt unfastened, giving Yutaka an enticing glimpse of the hollow at his throat.

Seiichiro was as relaxed in his dress as he ever got. It was, Yutaka had found, extremely sexy to see him unwind like this.

Turning his attention back to the matter at hand, Yutaka faced away from his lover, taking the towel that had been hanging around his neck away so that Seiichiro would have better access to his hair. Handing his lover the brush, he closed his eyes to wait.

He did not have to wait long. Seii's hands picked up the weight of the hair, and gently began to separate it so he could work on it one piece at a time without tangles. His lover was nothing if not methodical.

Yutaka began to drift as the brush began its way through his hair. Leaning back against the chair, between Seii's legs, he let the rhythmic motions relax him. He always adored it when his lover did this. It was calm, comforting, and so strangely Seiichiro to take care of him this way.

"Yutaka," rumbled Seii, startling him from the half-doze that the gentle touches had eased him into. "Do you want me to braid it, or just leave it loose?"

"Mmm, just leave it loose for tonight, I think," replied Yutaka, wrapping an arm around his lover's leg. He rested his head against the knee. "Unless we're going to bed in the near future…?"

"Not for a couple of hours at least," said Seiichiro, humor evident in the tone of his voice. He knew exactly what Yutaka meant. "I want to have some dinner at least, first."

"Well then, I better go put a shirt on," smirked Yutaka as he levered himself up and faced his lover once again. "I don't want to tempt you with _dessert_, now do I?"

With a wink and a chuckle at the heated look that suddenly appeared in his lover's eyes, Yutaka leaned over and kissed Seii softly; the kiss warm instead of fiery. It was his way of thanking the other man for taking the time to brush his hair; a normally menial task that felt like a gift when his lover did it. It always made him feel cared for and special. Something that Seiichiro was very good at.

It was all, he supposed, in the little things.


	6. Marked

**Little Things**

Marked

By: eternalsailorsolarwind

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters for _Yami no Matsuei_, unfortunately. I only write with them for fun.

A/N: Time for more Hisoka x Tsuzuki. I know that Tsuzuki is a little OOC, but he can be serious when he needs to be, and I think this would be a time that he would be. There is still some fluff at the end, though.

_Thoughts are in italics_

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Little Things

Marked

The curse marks had reappeared.

It didn't take a genius to realize that. Tsuzuki, by this time, had long experience in dealing with his lover when Muraki chose to remind Hisoka of his continued existence. The younger shinigami pulled away from him, was extremely irritable to Tsuzuki, and if it was extremely bad, refused to be touched.

_It must be really bad this time_, Tsuzuki mused, _if he won't even let me into our office._ It had only been this bad once or twice before, usually when Muraki was feeling particularly sadistic.

Leaning his forehead against the opaque glass of the door, Tsuzuki debated on what to do. He had already given Hisoka the required need of "space" that a return of the curse marks caused, letting his lover attempt to recover his equilibrium on his own.

Personally, Tsuzuki didn't understand this need of Hisoka's to do this on his own. Over the long years of his afterlife, Tsuzuki knew that "alone" was bad. But since that was what his lover wanted at times like these, Tsuzuki stepped back.

When he'd stuck his head in to ask Hisoka what he wanted for lunch, his answer had been a growl and a thrown tea cup. Luckily, the tea cup had missed him, shattering against the wall, but he'd gotten the message and withdrawn. He had, however, left a replacement cup with the onigiri lunch he'd brought his lover back. This time, there had been nothing thrown at him when he'd hesitantly opened the door and left the bag on Hisoka's desk. But the glare when he'd opened his mouth to speak spoke volumes. So he'd slunk back out again.

Lost in his thoughts, Tsuzuki nearly fell onto his partner when Hisoka opened the door. Having little choice but to use his lover to steady himself, he wasn't surprised when Hisoka jerked away, harshly muttering, "Don't touch me!"

Tsuzuki frowned. Enough was enough. Stepping inside their office, he closed the door firmly behind him. Hisoka frowned dangerously up at him, opening his mouth to speak, when Tsuzuki shook his head.

"Are they that bad, Hisoka?" he asked softly, refraining from using his pet name for the other shinigami. It would only upset him more right now.

The only answer was Hisoka looking away from him, his hair hiding his eyes.

Nodding, Tsuzuki reached out and lifted one of Hisoka's hands. Before his lover could stop him, he pushed the sleeve covering his arm up a few inches. The marks were there, a blazing, fiery crimson against the pale skin.

Hisoka whipped his arm back, spinning away from Tsuzuki. But he didn't run away as he sometimes had in the past. One of the reasons, Tsuzuki knew, was because he was blocking the door.

Taking the step towards his lover, he wrapped his arms around Hisoka. The younger man gasped and made a soft, surprised sound. Dropping a soft kiss onto the top of his head, Tsuzuki rested his chin on the same spot his lips had just been.

"I love you, Hisoka. I'm not disgusted by you when they appear. Do they make me hate Muraki for his reminders of what he did to you? Yes. But not you, 'Soka-chan. Never you."

His lover started to tremble in his arms, and Tsuzuki tightened his hold on him. Something that sounded suspiciously like a sob floated up to his ears, which made Tsuzuki smile with bittersweet relief. When the anger fled, and Hisoka could cry, then the worst was over.

He held his lover for a minute, letting him cry out some of his pain and frustration. "I'm going to go tell Tatsumi you're not feeling well, and then we'll go home. You can get some rest, and you'll feel better later."

"Why?" murmured Hisoka, gripping Tsuzuki's arms to keep him from leaving just yet. "I pushed you away all day, nearly _brained_ you earlier, and still….."

"Shhh," Tsuzuki breathed. "Because I love you, silly. That's why."


	7. Mischievous

**Little Things**

**Mischievous**

By: eternalsailorsolarwind

Disclaimer: _Yami no Matsuei_ and characters are owned by Matsushita Yoko. I just write fanfics with them.

A/N: A new installment of Little Things. Light and fluffy. Watari x Tatsumi time again.

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"I can't believe you brought that home," said one.

"What's wrong with it?" replied the other man.

"There's nothing wrong with it," said the first, sounding amused. He picked up the item in question, looking at it. "It looks perfectly fine."

The second speaker frowned a touch poutingly, "That wasn't what I meant, and you know it."

The first man chuckled, "I know, but the temptation was too much."

The second man asked, "Can we? Please?"

The first man narrowed his eyes at the other. "You really want to, don't you?"

"Of course I do," the other replied, his eyes glinting mischievously behind his glasses.

"Well then," said the first, threading his arms around the other man's neck to pull them close together. "Who am I to deny you?"

A boyish grin spread across the face of the other man, before he leaned in to kiss the first. "Good."

"I still can't believe you brought that home. I know you confiscated it from Tsuzuki this morning, Seiichiro."

Seiichiro's work persona returned for a moment, frowning down at Yutaka, "He shouldn't have brought chocolate body paint to work, Yutaka. It's his own fault."

"I didn't say it wasn't," agreed Yutaka. His honey-colored eyes twinkled, "You know, Seiichiro, if the others knew about this mischievous streak of yours, they'd have collective heart attacks."

"Then we'll just have to make sure they don't find out," replied Seiichiro, looking meaningfully at Yutaka.

"My lips are sealed," said Yutaka, pulling Seiichiro down for a kiss.


	8. Taste

**Little Things**

Taste

By: eternalsailorsolarwind

Disclaimer: Nope, still owned by Matsushita Yoko. I just play with her characters for fun and games.

A/N: Okay, going to answer the question as to why Tsuzuki brought chocolate body paint to work (see last chapter). It started bugging even me. Pure fluff.

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Hisoka looked up as the office door opened with a loud bang. Tsuzuki, in puppy mode, barreled into the room, practically throwing himself at his partner. "'Soka-chan! Tatsumi is being mean to me!"

Sighing, Hisoka patted puppy-Tsuzuki on the head to calm him. His lover's face was tear-streaked, and his words were garbled by his tears. "What happened?"

The explanation made no sense. All Hisoka could make out were the words "chocolate," "Tatsumi," and "took." "Tatsumi took your candy bar away?" he asked, mystified. Why would the Shokan Division's secretary take a candy bar away from Tsuzuki?

"No, Hisoka," whined Tsuzuki, lifting his face from his partner's lap. "Not a candy bar. The chocolate body paint I bought."

Hisoka stared at him, nonplussed. "You bought _what_?"

"Chocolate body paint," answered his lover.

"_Why_ did you bring that to work, Tsuzuki?" asked Hisoka.

"Because, 'Soka-chan," replied Tsuzuki, puppy ears suddenly disappearing.

"Because why, idiot?"

There was nothing puppyish about Tsuzuki now. His violet eyes darkened as he stared into Hisoka's green ones. Flushing deeply at the knowing look in his lover's eyes, Hisoka waited for a better explanation, feeling his heart rate speed up.

"I brought it for dessert today at lunch."

Hisoka blinked at him. Dessert? _Chocolate body paint_? "What are you…?"  
Tsuzuki interrupted him, "I wanted my two favorite tastes at the same time, 'Soka-chan."

Hisoka stared at him, uncomprehendingly.

"Chocolate…and 'Soka-chan."

Hisoka briefly wondered if he was going to catch on fire, he felt so hot from the sudden resurgence of his blush. "Tsu…!"

His partner silenced him with a deep kiss, one that made Hisoka's toes curl in its intensity.

"Idiot," breathed Hisoka once Tsuzuki let him surface for air, "Not enough time at lunch. We'll buy more after work for tonight."

Tsuzuki's wicked grin made Hisoka very glad he decided to indulge Tsuzuki's sweet tooth this time. Every once in awhile, it was worth it.


	9. Smile III

**Little Things**

**Smile III**

By: eternalsailorsolarwind

Disclaimer: Not owned by me. Unfortunately. If I did, Tsuzuki/Hisoka and Tatsumi/Watari would be canon.

A/N: Yet another chapter about smiles. Tatsumi/Watari this time. Tatsumi might be a touch OOC, but not by too much.

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Tatsumi leaned back in his seat at the foot of the table as Kachoe Konoe's meeting began to drag on, and glanced at the shinigami sitting around the table. Tsuzuki and Kurosaki were sitting together, Tsuzuki manfully sacrificing himself for his younger partner/lover by placing himself between Saya and Yuma. Of course, that also placed him directly across from Terazuma. The two had been glaring at each other off and on the entire meeting.

Next was Kannuki, Terazuma's partner. The senior of the partners, she was usually good about keeping Terazuma in line, especially when it came to the inevitable animosity between and Tsuzuki and Terazuma. Her partner had wilted more than once at a stern look from her during the meeting.

Finally, sitting near the head of the table, directly across from Kurosaki, was his own lover and sometime partner, Watari. The blonde scientist had propped his head on one long-fingered hand, obviously only half-listening to Kachoe's lecture. There was a silly little smile on the man's face, making it obvious that his lover was in the middle of pleasant daydream.

It was all Tatsumi could do to not start to flush. A large part of him – larger than was good for him, considering they were both at work – hoped that he was the subject of that daydream.

Abandoning any pretense of listening to Konoe's meeting (he had written the speech anyway); Tatsumi continued to watch his lover. It was more entertaining, for one thing. For another, Tatsumi had learned that the best judge of the mood Watari was in by the smile that the scientist was wearing - usually.

Watari was known far and wide as the man who _always_ smiled. Those smiles hid his pain, as well as told the world that he was happy. His mask, mused Tatsumi for a dark moment, was much better than Tsuzuki's. Tsuzuki couldn't always make himself believe that everything was fine, though he tried for everyone else's sake. Watari, however, _could _make himself believe that everything was fine. The blonde scientist swallowed so much of his pain that it was a wonder that he could function at all.

It had taken Tatsumi a long time to realize that. He knew that was because he had, for so many years, been so focused on making Tsuzuki happy that he hadn't paid enough attention to the scientist. Kurosaki's arrival had begun to change that. Now that Tsuzuki was happy, Tatsumi could step back and see what he had missed.

More than he had realized. He had been amazed to see that the blonde scientist had waited patiently for him for nearly thirty years. It had been a shocking, humbling, and oddly endearing thing to discover.

As had been seeing how much Watari's smiles actually meant to him. So much so that Tatsumi began to take what he liked to term _Watari's Smiles 101_. Even before their relationship became "official," he would unobtrusively (He hoped, Watari could be remarkably observant when he chose to be.) study his lover when he got the chance, seeing the little nuances that made up all of Watari's various smiles and grins.

He wanted insight into the other man. He wanted to know more about what made the determinedly _genki_ scientist that he loved tick. And most of all, Tatsumi wanted to be able to comfort him – especially when Watari tried to hide his pain from him. Something that the blonde tried to do more often than Tatsumi liked.

So he continued to watch, learn, and judge. Did a slight crinkling of the eyes mean that Watari is pleased? Or is he ecstatic? Are bared teeth a sign that his lover is angry? Or that he is beside himself with joy? Unfortunately, as Tatsumi has discovered, it could be either. Or even both.

Movement broke Tatsumi out of his thoughts. Watari had glanced his way. After a moment of honest surprise to find Tatsumi watching him instead of paying attention to the meeting, Watari smirked at him, one eyelid dropping into an amused wink.

_Naughty Tatsumi. Caught you watching me._

At least, that's what Tatsumi assumed his lover meant by that smirk. He briefly wondered if that meant he was learning how to read the scientist better, before suddenly realizing that he had eternity to learn all the nuances of Watari and his smiles. There was no need to rush. One day he would understand what all of his lover's smiles meant.

But for now, he could just enjoy them.


	10. Afterglow

**Little Things**

**Afterglow**

By: eternalsailorsolarwind

Disclaimer: Not owned by me. That lucky person is Matsushita Yoko.

A/N: Time for another Hisoka/Tsuzuki. :)

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

Hisoka drifted awake, stirred by Tsuzuki shifting in his sleep. The empath sighed contentedly at the muted emotions flowing through his lover's sleeping mind. This was the best time for Hisoka, empathically speaking. Though Tsuzuki - when awake - normally kept a shield up to keep Hisoka from being overwhelmed by the older shinigami's strong emotions; like waves, they occasionally overlapped the edges, swamping the younger man.

At moments like this, in the afterglow after making love, Hisoka could truly revel in his relationship with Tsuzuki. The older man's emotions were radiating gentle warmth, like the banked coals of a fire; only requiring a bit of stoking for them to be blazing again. Right now, Hisoka could enjoy the warmth without fear of being singed. Skin-to-skin contact with Tsuzuki held no fear for him.

Not that it ever did, anymore, but there had been a time that the merest contact with anyone – especially Tsuzuki – would send his empathy into overdrive, practically turning him catatonic with empathic overload. Now, it was not so bad. And Tsuzuki's touch was now a safe haven for him.

As if Tsuzuki was the empath, reading his mind and emotions, Hisoka felt strong, warm arms tighten around him; pulling him closer to the body lying behind him. Letting his growing drowsiness take over, he snuggled back into his lover's embrace, allowing the lullaby of Tsuzuki's heart ease him into a deep, restful sleep.


	11. Missed

**Little Things**

**Missed**

By: eternalsailorsolarwind

Disclaimer: Not mine. Please don't sue – all of my money goes to support my anime/manga habit. I just play with the characters for fun.

A/N: Time for another Tatsumi/Watari. Tatsumi might be a little OOC, but he's just a little tired at the moment, so he's not thinking completely straight. ;p And many thanks to Farasha for beta-ing this chapter for me. :)

0o0o0o0o0o

Tatsumi hated insomnia. He had very little time for sleep as it was, so anything that kept him from his well-earned rest tried his patience to the extreme.

It didn't help that Watari was currently asleep next to him, blonde hair fanned out across both of their pillows. His lover's breathing was deep and even, and as Tatsumi glanced over, his smile was visible even in the darkness of their bedroom.

Smiling faintly, Tatsumi rolled onto his side to watch Yutaka sleep. It was a simple joy that he had found since their relationship began. One that he had never known he was missing. There had been no lover during his lifetime, and for a very long time, only thoughts of Tsuzuki in his afterlife.

Yutaka interrupted his thoughts, which were turning increasingly somber, by rolling onto his side. Now facing Tatsumi, the scientist inched himself closer to his lover, sighing contentedly as he reached the warmth of his body.

Smiling warmly, Tatsumi stifled an urge to chuckle. Trust Yutaka to break him from dark thoughts, even in his sleep. It was one of the many things he loved about the overly-_genki_ scientist.

He sometimes wondered how he had missed _seeing_ Yutaka before he had finally moved on from Tsuzuki. He had always known the younger man was there, but not in the same way that he had always been aware of Tsuzuki. It was probably because he had been so focused on Tsuzuki, he had nothing left to spare for anyone else. Sometimes, in his darker moments, Tatsumi wondered how badly that must have hurt the other man over the years. He never gave voice to those thoughts, however. Yutaka would deny it, anyhow.

Yutaka moved restlessly, muttering something under his breath as he rolled over again, facing away from him now. Reaching out, Tatsumi carefully pulled his sleeping lover to him, until he was spooning him. They fit well together.

There was so much Tatsumi had discovered over the course of their relationship, not the least of which was the fact that he did actually have a sense of humor – something he knew their colleagues would deny – after all. He had also learned that there was indeed more to life – or afterlife – than work. Among …other things that Yutaka had taught him. The man _was_ shameless – not that Tatsumi would have it any other way.

"Mmm, took you long enough, Seiichiro," yawned Yutaka sleepily. "I was getting lonely all the way over there."

"We can't have that, can we?" murmured Tatsumi, his arms tightening automatically to draw the other man closer. His reward was a pleased sigh from his lover.

"Have I ever told you how much I enjoy this?" asked the blonde.

"Not in the last…24 hours or so, no," replied Tatsumi, mock-seriously, his breath leaving him in an audible "_ooof_," when his lover playfully elbowed him in the stomach. "Ouch."

"Want me to kiss it and make it better?" Yutaka asked playfully, turning around in his arms.

"What took _you_ so long?" Tatsumi returned, before leaning in to kiss his lover. If he had to have insomnia, this was the best possible way to have to "suffer" through it.

It may have taken him a long time, but Tatsumi was very glad that he didn't miss out on Watari Yutaka. They complimented each other in ways he had never thought possible. And for the first time ever, the _kagetsukai _felt whole – Watari was his home.


	12. Tea

Little Things

Tea

By: eternalsailorsolarwind

Disclaimer: _Yami no Matsuei_ is owned by Matsushita Yoko. Me, I just own the manga the anime DVD's, and some other stuff.

A/N: Here is a short drabble in Tsuzuki's point of view. Tsuzuki/Hisoka.

0o0o0o0o0o

Tsuzuki marveled at how the way he and Hisoka drank their tea actually reflected on their personalities. He preferred a dark, black tea thoroughly sweetened with plenty of sugar and cream, making it look like café au lait coffee. Hisoka, on the other hand, preferred his green tea either plain or with only small sprinkle of sugar.

He preferred to mask the bitterness of the tea behind the sweetness of the cream and sugar, just like he masked his pain behind his smiles. Hisoka chose to drink his tea as it came, just like he faced the world.

Tsuzuki couldn't bear to face the world straight on, as he really was; while Hisoka could do nothing but. That strength was just one of the many things Tsuzuki loved about him.


	13. Lover's Spat

Little Things

Lover's Spat

By: eternalsailorsolarwind

Disclaimer: All rights owned by Matsushita Yoko, though I own copies of the manga and anime….

A/N: Unfortunately, not even Watari and Tatsumi can have a relationship like a bed of roses.

0o0o0o0o0o

Watari was sick of sleeping on the futon in the lab. It had been a full week now, which was seven nights too many. This stupid argument had to end – now.

Gathering up his courage (because trying to steamroller Tatsumi was something only attempted at your peril), he marched into Tatsumi's office. The _kagetsukai_ glanced up at him as the door slammed open, and then shut. Tatsumi's work persona was firmly in place, but Watari could see the simmering anger in his lover's eyes.

Not that there was much loving done, lately.

"Seiichiro," Watari began, stopping at the frown on the secretary's face as he called his lover by his given name. "Don't look at me like that. I can't conduct an argument with my lover and call him by his family name. It's just not done."

"Fine," replied Tatsumi, glancing momentarily away, his voice just above freezing. "What do you want, Yutaka?"

"I want to come home, Seii," said Watari, wilting. He hated begging, but he also hated it when Seiichiro got angry and froze him out. "I hate it when we argue."

Watari was rewarded by a softening of Seiichiro's blue eyes. "So do I."

Throwing caution to the winds, Watari circled the desk, and practically threw himself into Seii's lap. He knew things were looking up when his lover steadied him instead of letting him slip to the floor. With a sigh, Watari laid his head on Seiichiro's shoulder.

"I'm sorry for whatever it was I said, Yutaka."

Watari stiffened for a moment. "You mean…you forgot what we were arguing about?"

"I am ashamed to say that I have. I became more wrapped up in being angry at you then the reason behind it," Seiichiro admitted.

Watari blinked, and then sighed. No point in crying over spilled milk. He suddenly brightened. "Well, one good thing does come out of it."

"What's that?" asked his lover, curious.

"Make-up sex," said Watari with a smirk.

0o0o0o0o0o

A/N2: Yes, ladies and gentlemen, there is a follow-up to this. And it will be a lemon. It'll be its own separate one-shot.


	14. Play

Little Things

Play

By: eternalsailorsolarwind

Disclaimer: Yami no Matsuei and all its characters are owned by Mtsushita Yoko, her Japanese publisher, Viz, and US Manga. I just play with her characters for fun.

A/N: Hisoka watches Tsuzuki playing and regrets. A little bit angsty. Hisoka/Tsuzuki.

0o0o0o0

Hisoka marveled at his partner. Tsuzuki was sitting on the ground with a young boy, playing some sort of children's game with him. Watching from a nearby bench, he wondered what the name of the game was. They were sitting outside of a small circle drawn in the dirt, with little glass balls inside of it. They took slightly larger glass balls and, using their thumbs, knocked the smaller ones out of the circle. It was nothing he'd ever seen before.

But then again, he could barely remember a time when there had been childhood games. He'd been very young when his parents had locked him away in the basement. And with the servants too frightened of him to come near, there was no one to play with. Hisoka hadn't really missed those games, since he hadn't known what he was missing until he was in the hospital. By then, it was too late. His body was too wasted and ravaged by the curse that would eventually kill him to join in, even if he'd wanted to.

He felt a little lost watching Tsuzuki play – easily – with the child. How could this grown man sit on the hard ground like that? His long legs were tucked out of the way of the action, but his lover didn't seem to mind the discomfort in the least. One of the older man's rare true smiles was plastered on his face, and his eyes shone like polished amethysts. While he enjoyed seeing Tsuzuki like this, Hisoka couldn't help but feel…jealous of the boy playing with his lover.

Hisoka didn't know how to play. Such frivolousness had been frowned upon by his parents, even before he was sent to the basement. And afterwards, he'd felt no urge to play. He needed and wanted other things at the time. Now, however, he felt like he had missed something important.

"Hisoka?" asked a familiar, concerned voice. The empath jumped at how close the voice actually was.

He'd been so lost in his thoughts that he hadn't noticed that Tsuzuki and the boy had finished their game, and that his partner had joined him on the bench. "Oh, is your game over?"

"Yeah, he had to go home," replied Tsuzuki, leaning against the bench, and flinging an arm across the back, unconsciously drawing Hisoka closer to him.

Hisoka allowed the older man to do so, enjoying the relative warmth of his lover's body. "What were you two playing?"

"Marbles," Tsuzuki replied absently, glancing around the park. "It was one of my favorite games when I was that age."

"Oh," said Hisoka quietly, looking away.

Tsuzuki turned his head sharply at the tone in his lover's voice. He knew something was wrong, but couldn't quite place it…until he saw where Hisoka was staring. His eyes were locked onto the slightly scuffed out ring in the dirt where he had played with the boy. It suddenly all made sense.

Smiling slightly, the amethyst-eyed man pressed his lips into the wheat-colored hair crowning his lover's head. "It's never too late, you know."

"Huh?"

"Just because you're an adult doesn't mean you have to stop playing. I do it all the time," replied Tsuzuki, loving the cute look of confusion on Hisoka's face. "It's easy."

"All that playing would explain the small mountain of paperwork sitting on your desk, wouldn't it?" asked Hisoka severely, though his green eyes twinkled with suppressed humor.

"Um…." Tsuzuki scuffed his feet on the ground, flushing slightly and starting to look puppyish. Hisoka managed to hide a smile. Sometimes he found his older lover's antics extremely cute…other times they made him want to strangle the man.

"Don't worry about it," Hisoka said quietly. He wasn't sure if he meant the paperwork mountain or about playing.

Tsuzuki turned a blinding true smile on him. "Sank you, 'Soka-chan!"

Unable to help himself, the blonde blushed. The pet name was supposed to be kept private, not that the other man ever did. "Tsuzuki!"

A warm chuckle escaped his dark-haired lover. "Still so much fun to tease…. But I'll let you off with any easy game to start with, Hisoka."

"What's that?" asked the younger shinigami, curious despite himself.

"Tag. Whoever is 'it' has to catch the other people in the game. Whoever he catches first then becomes 'it'," Tsuzuki explained patiently.

"Sounds simple."

"It is. And you're 'it!'" cried Tsuzuki, pressing his lips hurriedly against Hisoka's, before pulling away and hurrying off. "Catch me and you win a prize!"

Hisoka sat stock still for a moment, the manner of being named "it" rooting him in place. But then what his lover had said about a prize, and the smirk that went with it made the younger man put one foot in front of the other in chase. He knew exactly what kind of prize Tsuzuki had in mind, and he certainly wanted to win that. Maybe there was something to this "playing" after all.


	15. Smile IV

Little Things

Chapter 15: Smile IV

By: eternalsailorsolarwind

Disclaimer: _Yami no Matsuei_ and all characters are owned by Matsushita Yoko, her Japanese publishers, and Viz in the United States. I only play with her characters for fun.

A/N: Watari introspective on Tatsumi and his smiles. Rather on the fluffy side.

0o0o0o0o0o

Taking a sip of coffee, Watari watched Tatsumi over the rim of the cup. The secretary was yet again chastising Tsuzuki for coming in late – nearly an hour, this time. Tsuzuki pouted and whined at Tatsumi, trying to come up with a legitimate excuse for being late that didn't involve some sort of sweets. Watari chuckled as he failed miserably; Tsuzuki finally falling back on his puppyish face. As usual, that worked. Tatsumi sighed, gave Tsuzuki the sad version of the smile reserved just for him, and patted him on the head.

"All right, Tsuzuki-san, but I _will_ dock your pay for being late again. Go to your office and get to work," Tatsumi said, his voice stern but warm. After thanking Tatsumi profusely, Tsuzuki gamboled off to the office he shared with Bon. Tatsumi watched him go, shaking his head with a fond smile, before returning to his own office.

Sipping at his coffee, Watari pondered on Tatsumi and his smiles. The older man was sparing with his smiles in the office; turning the rare ones he did offer into a form of praise that everyone wanted to receive. Even Saya and Yuma wriggled like puppies when he gave them the indulgent, fatherly smile that he saved for them (almost always accompanied by a pat on the head).

It was as if Tatsumi had a smile reserved for everyone. Even the Count got that creepy, evil-looking smile that frightened just about everyone whenever they saw it appear. Watari shivered, thinking of the one time that Tatsumi had smiled at _him _that way after destroying half the floor in a lab explosion. He'd rather go up against Muraki again that face _that_ smile, meant for him, on his lover's face.

Everyone recognized the smile saved just for Tsuzuki, and Bon's smile was still "under construction." Watari had the sneaking suspicion that some of Tsuzuki's smile would leak into the one that would one day be Hisoka's. Then there was his smile. Or smiles, he should say.

Watari grinned at that thought. Of all of them, only he had a second smile, different from the one used at work, reserved for him alone. The one for work was often rather exasperated, with somewhat incredulous amusement mixed in – as if Tatsumi couldn't believe that he actually found whatever it was that made him smile the slightest bit funny, but couldn't really help himself.

But it was the after-hours smile that Watari really appreciated. Slow like an American southern drawl, it would become as hot as Touda's flames. He shivered slightly, remembering the last time Tatsumi had smiled at him that way. His body had ached – pleasurably – for days afterward. It was something he'd like to repeat, and soon. Very soon, if he had his way.

"Watari-san!"

Watari jumped as an irritated voice shouted practically in his ear. "Seiichiro, don't do that! You'll give me a heart attack."

His lover made an annoyed sound. "Even if you have a heart attack, which I sincerely doubt you would, it wouldn't hurt you in the least. And you know better…"

"…Than to call you by your given name at the office," finished Watari. "I know, I know. So, what can I do for you, Tatsumi?"

"You've been sitting in the break room for nearly half an hour staring off into space with a silly grin on your face. What you can 'do for me' is go back to work!" Tatsumi said, looking fiercely at him. "Or should I dock your pay for taking an extra long break?"

Watari chuckled. "That silly grin I had on my face? It was because I was thinking about you, Sei-Tatsumi."

Watari was amused that some of the ire drained from the _kagetsukai_ at his admission that he was thinking of the other man. Tatsumi looked away, coughing to cover his momentary lapse in his work persona. "Nevertheless, Watari, I will dock your pay for the extra break time."

"But Tatsumi," whined Watari, "surely there's a way to make it up to you…."

Tatsumi's eyebrow lifted in an amused, silent question.

"I know," replied Watari, as if a sudden brainstorm hit him. He leaned over to whisper just what he planned to do to make up for the over-long break in the _kagetsukai's_ ear. "Would that do?"

Watari wondered, as an interesting mix of the two smiles that Tatsumi kept just for him crossed his lover's face, if it was possible to have three smiles reserved for him.


	16. Plushie

Little Things

Plushie

By: eternalsailorsolarwind

Disclaimer: _Yami no Matsuei_ and all characters belong to Matsushita Yoko, Viz, Hana to Yume, and several other legal entities whose name escape me at the moment. I just write fanfics for fun.

A/N: Another piece concerning Tsuzuki. A little bit angsty.

0o0o0o0o0o

On those rare nights when Hisoka sentenced Tsuzuki to the couch for overly annoying him, Tsuzuki grabbed only one thing beside a blanket and his pillow. When the older _shinigami_ was forced to sleep alone, only one thing would allow him to actually fall asleep. So before Hisoka completely kicked him out of the bedroom, Tsuzuki retreated to the closet to grab the one thing that would let him feel secure throughout the night.

A blonde mohair teddy bear with green glass eyes. There was something about the stitching around the eyes that made the bear look like it was frowning slightly, though its eyes shone brightly. He'd found it just before what happened in Kyoto, when wandering around the city aimlessly. The bear had reminded him of Hisoka, so he'd bought it immediately.

That was before he thought he'd ever have a chance with his young partner. For a long time, Tsuzuki had slept nightly with the bear, cuddling it just like he wanted to cuddle Hisoka. More than once, its fur had been dampened by his tears. More than once, it had silently listened to his joy over receiving a smile from Hisoka. But once he and Hisoka had finally admitted their feeling for each other, the bear had been relegated to the back of the closet.

Except for those rare nights when he had to sleep alone. On those nights, only the bear that reminded him of his lover could help him fall asleep; far away from those warm arms that usually held him so tightly.


	17. Secrets

Little Things17

Secrets

By: eternalsailorsolarwind

Disclaimer: _Yami no Matsuei_ and all characters belong to Matsushita Yoko, Viz, Hana to Yume, and several other legal entities whose name escape me at the moment. I just write fanfics for fun.

A/N: I'm not dead, I promise (though with series, it might help)! Here's a little bit of Tatsumi for your pleasure.

0o0o0o0o0o

Tatsumi Seiichiro was well-known for being circumspect. During his lifetime, his employers rewarded him well for keeping their secrets. In his afterlife, it was more of the same. He watched, listened, and kept quiet about what he learned. And Enma rewarded him for it, even if the payment itself was not in a high salary or a promotion to high office, the reward that he did receive was exactly right for him.

The _kagetsukai_ had his own secrets. No one at the office knew anything of his past; he hid all of the unseemly details of his life and death from them. Of course, now that he had (finally) taken a lover in the afterlife, the true reward for his work, some of his secrets were bound to become exposed. There was no way that he could hide every aspect of himself away when he lived with someone else.

Especially when that someone else was a highly inquisitive scientist like Watari Yutaka. Those shrewd eyes saw everything, and his piercing mind shot straight to the heart of everything – even if he was sometimes one of the most playful men Tatsumi had ever met. But those very qualities were what made Tatsumi fall for the blonde; they also annoyed him half the time.

There were two secrets in particular that the brunette wanted to be kept between the two of them. Not that the scientist was into using those specific secrets for blackmail, but the other man had a tendency to let his mouth run away with him sometimes. The first was that Tatsumi had a mischievous streak buried deep within him. It caused him to play the occasional practical joke on his co-workers. His role was never discovered, and Tatsumi preferred to keep it that way. Of course, his lover knew of a more ..._practical_ outlet for that hidden mischievousness– the bedroom. Which led directly to his deeper, darker secret.

For no one would ever believe that the feared _kagetsukai_ of the Shokan division was...ticklish. It was completely at odds with his reputation, not to mention his personality. He hated that he became a giggling fool when Watari got it into his head to torture him. Which his lover liked to do as often as possible, of course. No, this was a secret that needed to be kept, no matter what. So he would do what came naturally in an attempt to even the odds – watch, wait, and learn. Eventually, he'd find something that even Watari wanted kept quiet. And then his secrets would be safe.


	18. Alcohol

Little Things

Chapter 18: Alcohol

by: eternalsailorsolarwind AKA youkaigirl

Disclaimer: _Yami no Matsuei_ and all of its characters are owned by Matsushita Yoko, her Japanese publishers, and Viz. I only play with them for grins and giggles.

A/N: Time for another Hisoka drabble. Mentions of Tsuzuki/Hisoka. Slightly sad, angsty tone to this one.

0o0o0o0o0o

Hisoka had no love for alcohol. As he had no tolerance for it at all, he couldn't enjoy it like Tsuzuki and Watari did. His partner's fondness for it – in all of its forms – sometimes worried him. The older _shinigami_ used liquor to forget, and always drank himself nearly to oblivion when he managed to get his hands on enough of it.

Tsuzuki was a happy – though heavy – drunk, at least. Sloppy kisses and clumsy caresses were something Hisoka was used to by now. Even drunk off his ass, his lover knew who he was and what they were to each other. His empathy wasn't an issue either, since the violet-eyed man's emotions skipped around too fast for even he to follow. And Tsuzuki always passed out before things went too far anyway.

No, Hisoka considered alcohol to be as much a demon as Muraki. It, liked the hated doctor, stole a part of Tsuzuki from him. Hiding his partner/lover behind a glass wall: visible, but out of reach.


	19. Formula

Little Things

Chapter 19: Formula

By: eternalsailorsolarwind AKA youkai_girl

Disclaimer: _Yami no Matsuei_ and all of its characters are owned by Matsushita Yoko, her Japanese publishers, and Tokyopop. I only play with them for grins and giggles.

A/N: Finally! It only took a year to write a new chapter. Written for the prompt: Someday. Focuses on Watari and why he keeps working on that famous formula of his.

0o0o0o0o0o

It's his life's dream. For decades now, Watari has pursued an elusive elixir; one he's positive actually exists - no matter how many times he's been told it's a pipe dream. No matter how many wrong turns he's taken over the years. It's a search that's cost him a great deal over the years, from money, to friends, to – finally – his mortal life. But still he continues to search.

He's determined, even if it's the last thing he ever does, to find the formula that will change a man into a woman.

It's not for some sick sexual urge (no matter _what_ the rumors say). Watari has never had any problems attracting lovers of either gender. Nor is it – completely – to satisfy his yen for practical jokes, though he has to admit that some of his failures have had very interesting, not to mention hilarious, side-effects.

And he's deliriously happy to have finally caught Tatsumi – who is remarkably tolerant of his experiments, something Watari appreciates. It's only when the pranks go too far, or the lab explodes that his lover – in his secretary persona - complains about his single-minded determination to find this formula.

It's the challenge of it all that draws him. The desire to make the impossible possible; being the first to solve this particular problem.

"Someday," mutters Watari, picking himself off the floor after yet another explosion. "Someday, I'll get it right."


	20. Teasing

Little Things

Chapter 20: Teasing

By: eternalsailorsolarwind aka youkai_girl

Disclaimer: _Yami no Matsuei_ and all of its characters are owned by Matsushita Yoko, her Japanese publishers, and Viz. I only play with them for grins and giggles.

A/N: Written awhile back, I sat on this one while I let it gel (and while RL was busy having its way with me). Tsuzuki has always been teased, and it's left its mark on him.

0o0o0o0o0o

Tsuzuki couldn't remember a time when he _wasn't_ being harassed by someone.

As a child, it had been the neighborhood children. His parents expected him to get along with them; always telling him to "play nice." As if he were not the one being beaten almost daily; purplish bruises marring his face. A good day involved only being teased mercilessly about his "demon eyes" until he bawled. Truly bad ones ended with a healer being called.

By the time he was seven, Tsuzuki stopped looking to his parents for comfort and love. They had none for him, the family disappointment. Ruka was his salvation. His older sister drove off the hordes of brats – he was the monster, after all – attacking him. She dressed the minor wounds, and was the one who called the healer. Because she loved him, she told him the one time he'd asked why she did all those things for him; her one and only little brother. With her, he felt special; safe.

Then all hell broke loose and his beloved sister was dead. He avenged her violently, using what had lurked inside him through all those years of torment, destroying himself in the process. Finally, after a short eternity, he died. A blessed relief – or so he thought.

The afterlife wasn't any better. He was still teased, and now there was no Ruka to protect him from the harsh words of his fellow _shinigami_. Somehow, drowning in his misery, Tsuzuki found Tatsumi. The serious man helped him keep his head above water; kept him from being completely swamped. Then Watari came to work, and the scientist helped to buoy him from the horrific pain of leading souls to the afterlife; being a murderer again.

His latest partner, Hisoka, seemed at first to be like all the others; spiteful and impatient with his weaknesses. But after finding out the truth behind the boy's tragic death, everything began to change. Tsuzuki finally had something he wanted to protect, and he went about it with dog-like devotion. Hisoka did not tease him, and they started to become closer. For the first time, Tsuzuki felt like he could not be in danger of sinking into his pain.

It certainly wasn't all sweetness and light. Kyoto proved that. But Hisoka was there when it counted, and he tried to understand Tsuzuki's pain; tried to help him stand on his own two feet and not dissolve into tears every time someone ragged on him. For Hisoka, he was brave when he could be, and wriggled in puppyish pleasure when the blond showed that he approved of something Tsuzuki did.

Best of all was that his partner – now at home as well as work – did not harass or bully him. When he was with Hisoka, Tsuzuki felt safe and whole for the first time ever.


	21. Sucker

Little Things

Chapter 21: Sucker

By: eternalsailorsolarwind AKA youkai_girl

Disclaimer: _Yami no Matsuei_ and all of its characters are owned by Matsushita Yoko, her Japanese publishers, and Viz. I only play with them for grins and giggles.

A/N: The latest chapter in this slowly on-going series. Only one thing can get under Tatsumi's skin and make that iron discipline waver.

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There was only one thing that could melt Tatsumi's stern demeanor. He'd discovered the flaw in his iron resolved shortly after arriving in Enma-cho. Dismayed at his realization, he kept his distance from is former partner, Tsuzuki, so as to remain unaffected.

It didn't work. Tsuzuki sought him out, turning his weapon on him almost every time they met. Powerless against it, Tatsumi always gave in to every demand. Even after all these years, the secretary crumbled; no immunity built up. Thankfully, no one realized it's effectiveness against him – other than Kurosaki-_kun_, who would never stool to using it against him.

Watari passed Tsuzuki as the purple-eyed man skipped happily out of Tatsumi's office. Amused, he sat across from the _kagetsukai_, who as pinching the bridge of his nose underneath his rimless glasses. Eyes closed as he massaged the spot, Tatsumi had obviously not yet noticed the rumpled section of his shirt from where his former partner had glomped him.

"Sei," began the blond scientist, "let's go out for lunch. Just the two of us."

"Watari-_san_," replied Tatsumi pointedly, smoothing his shirt. Reminding his lover that they were at work, and conventional forms of address applied. "I'm booked solid this afternoon. I don't have time."

"Are you sure?"

"I'm positive. I have to…." Tatsumi trailed off in horror as Watari's lower lip began to quiver.

Unable to look away, the secretary watched as his lover's blue eyes took on a damp shimmer, as if he were trying not to cry. The _kagetsukai_ wondered, wildly, when the scientist had discovered his weakness to puppy-dog eyes. Though he knew the look was calculated, that did nothing to blunt its power over him. He felt himself begin to cave in.

"Not you too," muttered Tatsumi, automatically reaching for his calendar. The budget would have to wait until after he had lunch with his lover.


End file.
